Geotechnical properties of Ajali Sandstone in Enugu, Nigeria for engineering use

Twelve soil samples collected at different intervals from 0.1 meter deep in Onyeama Mine, Enugu State from the Ajali sandstone were subjected to geotechnical analysis (moisture content, sieve analysis, Atterberg’s limits) to determine their suitability for the siting of some engineering structures. The results show that the soils are cohesive at shallow depths (1.8m – 1.0m). It is cohesionless with greater sandy fraction at greater depths. The moisture content values are low and averages 10.65% (from depth 0.00m– 1.8m). For the Atterberg limit; liquid limit ranges from 31% - 36% while the plasticity limit was 25%. On the AASHTO classification and plasticity chart, part of these results show that the top soils at shallow depths (1.8m – 1.0m) are inorganic clays. Consequently, the top inorganic layer needs to be stabilized or excavated and back-filled with more stable materials for engineering structures purposes.Keywords: Engineering, Geotechnical Analysis, Geotechnical Properties, Moisture Content, Sandstone, Structure

Geochemical and sedimentological characteristics of the late quaternary sediments of the Anambra Basin

Ten samples from sand bars, mouth bars and continental shelf at the Onitsha end of the River Niger were analyzed for their sedimentlogical and geochemical characteristics. The textural analysis carried out on the samples revealed that they ranged from fine to medium grained, moderately to poorly sorted, angular to sub-rounded. The percentage of sand is high compared to that of silt and clay which has a small percentage. Geochemical analysis shows that the samples are high in silica (SiO2) content, and due to the poorly sorted nature of the sediments, they were described as immature. The mean grain size ranges from 0.8 to 2.9, which corresponds to coarse-fine grain sands but averagely 2.03, which is fine grained. Standard deviation ranges from 0.28 to 1.2, which range from well sorted to poorly sorted but averagely 0.74, which is moderately sorted. The skewness ranges from -0.34 to 1.13 i.e. strongly coarse skewed to strongly fine skewed but averagely near symmetrical. The kurtosis ranges from 0.42 to 1.25 i.e. very platykurtic to leptokurtic but averagely 1.4 which is leptokurtic. The comparison between the samples(sand bar, mouth and continental shelf sediments) revealed certain distinguishing characteristics; the sand bars are better sorted compared to the continental sediments, they are also of fine grain sands, intensive weathering and texturally more mature compared to the continental shelf sediments, whereas the continental shelf is characterized by poor sorting, medium and coarse grains The mouth bar has similar characteristics with the continental shelf with grain size ranging from fine to coarse grained sands.Keywords: Sedimentological, Geochemical, grain size, skewness, kurtosi

Maternal and perinatal consequences of antepartum haemorrhage of unknown origin

Date of Acceptance:22/07/2013 Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Ms Linda Murdoch and Ms Katie Wilde for extracting the data from AMND.Peer reviewedPreprin

Longitudinal study to assess changes in arterial stiffness and cardiac output parameters among low-risk pregnant women.

AIM: A single-centre, prospective longitudinal study to assess changes in maternal arterial stiffness and cardiac output parameters among low-risk healthy pregnant women. METHODOLOGY: Thirty low-risk, healthy, pregnant women attending their routine antenatal dating ultrasound scan were recruited. Non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness and cardiac output was undertaken at five gestational windows from 11 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. Data were analysed using a linear mixed model incorporating time and other relevant predictors as fixed effects, and patient as a random effect. RESULTS: Gestational age had a significant effect on all arterial stiffness parameters, including brachial augmentation index (AIx) (p = .001), aortic AIx (p = .002) and aortic pulse wave velocity (p = .002). The aortic AIx (%) reduced during pregnancy: the lowest mean (standard error, SE) was 4.07 (1.01) at 28 weeks before it increased to 7.04 (SE 1.64) at 40 weeks. Similarly, non-invasive assessments of cardiac output (p < .001), stroke volume (p = .014), heart rate (p < .001) and total peripheral resistance (p < .001) demonstrated significant changes with gestational age. Mean cardiac output (l/m) increased during pregnancy reaching a peak at 28 weeks gestation 6.66 (SE 0.28), but dropped thereafter to reach 5.71 (SE 0.25) around term. CONCLUSION: The current study provides pregnancy normograms for gestational changes in arterial stiffness and cardiac output parameters among low-risk, healthy pregnant women. Further work will be required to assess the risk of placental mediated diseases and pregnancy outcome among pregnant women with parameters outside the normal range

Rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy: evolution of disease activity and pathophysiological considerations for drug use

It has long been known that pregnancy and childbirth have a profound effect on the disease activity of rheumatic diseases. For clinicians, the management of patients with RA wishing to become pregnant involves the challenge of keeping disease activity under control and adequately adapting drug therapy during pregnancy and post-partum. This article aims to summarize the current evidence on the evolution of RA disease activity during and after pregnancy and the use of anti-rheumatic drugs around this period. Of recent interest is the potential use of anti-TNF compounds in the preconception period and during pregnancy. Accumulating experience with anti-TNF therapy in other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, provides useful insights for the use of TNF blockade in pregnant women with RA, or RA patients wishing to become pregnant

Evaluation of the use of a Whatsapp forum for the daily clinical case review in obstetrics and gynaecology at a Teaching Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

No Abstract

Assessment of some geo-physical, chemical and technical characteristics of soil and groundwater resources in Jesse, south-south Nigeria

This study assessed some geophysical, physicochemical and geotechnical characteristics of soil and groundwater resources in Jesse, Delta State of Nigeria. Earth Resistivity Meter was employed for the electrical imaging of the subsurface. Soil and water samples from the area were taken to the Laboratory for the determination of the physico-chemical, geochemical and geotechnical parameters. The results of the resistivity data shows that a high resistive plume with resistivity &gt;2,000 Ohm-m has penetrated the soil beyond 21m beneath the surface in most parts of the surveyed area. The water samples show mild acidity with pH values in the range 4.3-5.4. Total dissolved solids (TDS) is low 29.35- 33.58mg/L and conductivity ranges from 50.60-60.78 μS/cm. Heavy metal presence is within WHO permissible limit, only Iron is high (0.455-0.889mg/L). Groundwater sample analysis show that total petroleum hydrocarbons-TPH, as oil and grease is below detection level (&lt;0.031mg/L). This can be attributed to the sealing of the confined aquifer by impermeable clay, but fairly high in surface water (≈0.4mg/L). The average permeability of the soil is 8.805 x 10-3cm/s indicating good drainage condition. The results have shown that shallow boreholes are polluted and the soils of the area are acidic. Groundwater of the area needs treatment before it can be consumed and periodic investigations should be carried out in the study area. Keywords: Groundwater, Hydrocarbon, Pollution, Resistivity, Soil

Antenatal dexamethasone therapy does not affect circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1.

In animals, dexamethasone administration during pregnancy leads to fetal growth restriction due to enhanced expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). In humans, there is also a significant inverse correlation between maternal and fetal concentrations of IGFBP-1 and birth weight. During pregnancy, maternal IGFBP-1 is derived from the decidualized endometrium. We have studied the effect of dexamethasone on circulating concentrations of IGFBP-1 in 12 pregnant women who received dexamethasone therapy for fetal lung maturation in anticipation of premature delivery before 34 completed weeks of gestation. Blood samples were collected before dexamethasone administration, at 24 h and 48 h after the course of dexamethasone, and within 24 h of delivery, for the measurement of IGFBP-1. There was no significant change in plasma IGFBP-1 concentrations at 24 and 48 h following dexamethasone therapy, and at delivery (P = 0.666, 0.307 and 0.398, respectively). Therefore, antenatal dexamethasone therapy does not influence decidual synthesis of IGFBP-1

Inorganic geochemical and sedimentological evaluation of some shales in the Campano-Maastrictian formations of Anambra Basin

This study presents an insight into the sediment provenance, paleoenvironment and conditions of deposition of Mamu Formation and Nkporo Group shales. To achieve this, sedimentologic and geochemical study of shale sequences from the Mamu and Nkporo group were carried out. Twenty five representative shale samples from these formations were subjected to sedimentologic, geochemical and mineralogical analyses using hydrometric method and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The results show that for the particles size analyses of sediments, the samples reveal medium grained with average sand, silt and clay values ranging from 33.1-54.7%, 29.08-52.1%, 8.0-16.48% respectively. The overall classification of the samples can be said to be poorly sorted sediments with low energy of deposition. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the major elements namely SiO2 (56.99% and 51.6%), Al2O3 (29.09% and 28.28%) and Fe2O3 (3.13% and 4.38%) for Mamu and Nkporo shales respectively indicate high detrital influx. While the positive correlation plots for SiO2 against Al2O3, TiO2 and K2O are indicative of transported clay mineral units. The SiO2/Al2O3 ratios observed for Nkporo shales can be said to be pure Kaolinite, while those for Mamu shales are both Kaolinite and Montmorrillonite.Keywords: sedimentologic, geochemical, shales, analyses, clay mineral